IBIS Turkey 2015

IBIS returned to Turkey on 11 November to build on the success of its inaugural conference in the region in 2014.

Over 140 delegates representing the major stakeholders in the Turkish collision repair industry came together for exclusive networking opportunities, world class conference content and the opportunity to shape the future of the market.

Directed by IBIS board member Jason Moseley, the conference focused on the IBIS core pillars of safety, skills and standards – each session advocating the importance of improving these issues for the good of all.

Anna Marie Baisden, head of auto analysis at BMI gave an overview of the Turkish market, explaining how the expected rapid growth wasn’t happening as predicted due to a number of factors including the shifting attitude of younger generations towards car ownership. Anna Marie touched on a demand for skills; vehicle manufacturers are increasingly looking towards software engineers for the vehicles of the futures – just as repairers will need to do in order to fix the cars of the future.

A highlight from the 2014 conference was Ayhan Dayoglu, assistant general manager at Aksigorta, who returned in 2015 to give an update on the market. His, as ever, insightful and candid presentation revealed how insurance companies are attempting to standardise, though it currently isn’t successful. There was also discussion, during the Q&A, of safety in parts and ‘equivalent’ parts became a hot topic for the rest of the conference.

Andrew Walker, repair sector technical manager at Thatcham continued the theme of safety, skills and standards – discussing Thatcham’s process of creating, and encouraging VW to create, a repair method for the Golf Mk VII and the importance the right repair can have on passenger safety.

Carsten Weber, global business field manager at TÜV International suggested that 70% of vehicle manufacturer and insurance company standards were saying the same things, and only 30% were unique to the company. As such, TÜV has created a ‘universal’ standard which could apply to everyone based on that 70%. Carsten believes with uniformity comes a safer, more consistent and eventually more profitable business.

Alper Tan from the TSB union of Turkish Insurance Companies also discussed standards, looking at the official certification available to bodyshops in Turkey and what these shops need to do to achieve it. He also suggested the certification programme could be successful for non-oe parts.

Ahmey Nedim Erdem, chairman of the board at SED advocated the importance of the loss adjustors/assessors in the process and claimed to be the referee between the two giants in the room: the insurers and the vehicle manufacturers.

The chairman of OYDER Ziya Alp Gulan expressed his own frustration at explaining the industry to multiple government departments and trying to create a consistency across the board. He also suggested everyone in the room was saying the same thing just not saying it together, emphasising the importance of IBIS Turkey to the local market.

The final Q&A panel session brought together: Teoman Silek from Fix Auto, Steve Watson from Audatex, Sinasi Ekincioglu from MAN, Ayhen Dayoglu from Aksigorta and Ziya Alp Gulan from OYDER to discuss the main issues that had arising during the day from equivalent parts to universal standards. The session proved lively with delegates and panellists alike showing passion for their industry and the desire to improve it.

The conference was made possible with the support of headline partners AkzoNobel and Audatex, and partners Carglass, Fix Auto and Tur Assist. The daytime sessions were followed by an exclusive networking evening in Cloud 34 bar at the Hilton Bomonti Istanbul, overlooking the city lights from one of the world’s most intriguing and versatile destinations.